


don't trust english boys with far too much free time

by everythingFangirl



Series: so call me when the world looks bleak (dream smp oneshots) [2]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Betrayal, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Redemption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:00:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26904016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everythingFangirl/pseuds/everythingFangirl
Summary: "So," Eret repeats, voice still laced with concern and disbelief, "Wilbur wants to destroy it. All of it."It's not a question, but something in Eret's tone still suggests that he wants Tommy to answer 'no'. But all he can do is nod."All of it," Eret murmurs again. Their fist tightens around the mug clenched in it. "That makes him no better than Schlatt."~L'Manberg seems all but lost. Tommy seeks out help.
Relationships: Eret & Niki | Nihachu, No Romantic Relationship(s), Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, you heathens - Relationship
Series: so call me when the world looks bleak (dream smp oneshots) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1966438
Comments: 36
Kudos: 610





	don't trust english boys with far too much free time

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in a frenzy at midnight after watching the latest Dream SMP stream, let's hope it's not too inaccurate
> 
> Title is from the song Your Sister Was Right by Wilbur

"Niki!"

She's working at one of the bakery's furnaces, but spins around to face the doorway when Tommy calls her name. Her face breaks into a smile, although he can see it's a hesitant one. 

"Tommy! Hello!" Her cheery voice turns a little more hushed. "Isn't it dangerous for you to be here? Do you need anything?"

Tommy takes a few steps into the cave, pulling back the hood of his cloak. "Niki, we need to talk. There's been some -" His voice catches in his throat. "Stuff's happened. We need to talk."

Niki's smile fades, replaced by that look of grim determination he recognizes all too well by now. She gives him a curt nod, stepping away from the furnace. "Okay. Come in." She gestures towards one of the back rooms, and Tommy follows her, although hesitantly.

"Should we go somewhere safer? You're right, it's dangerous for me to be here, and if Schlatt or someone hears us talking about this..."

"I think we should be safe," Niki starts, then stops herself. "But there's something I should probably tell you."

"About what?" A feeling of unease creeps across Tommy's spine. He can't handle another betrayal today. "If it's -"

"If you're looking for a safe location, I'd be able to provide it to you."

Tommy stops dead at the sound of that voice. 

A figure appears in the doorway Niki's led them to. His ostentatious red coat has been traded for a netherite chestplate, and his crown is clutched in his hands, but there's no mistaking those shades, those eyes, that goddamn voice. 

Tommy meets Eret's smug smirk with a glower. "Nevermind. If he's here, I'm leaving. I'd rather do this by myself."

He almost does; he's already turning away when someone grabs his arm with an iron grip. Tommy tries to shake away Eret's grasp, but looks back only to meet Niki's eyes instead. 

"Eret's on our side. You can trust him, I swear."

"Can I?" Tommy spits back. 

But he already feels his resolve starting to waver. What has he got to lose, anyway?

Niki nods. "I promise. I trust him with my life."

"I'm only here to support you. I dislike Schlatt's regime just as much as you do."

Tommy meets Eret's gaze again. They're no longer smiling; in fact, any trace of that kingly confidence, the arrogance that almost cost them the first war, is gone. Eret just looks... tired. 

Tommy's so, so tired. 

"Fine," he hears himself mumble. "But we're staying here, I'm not going anywhere with you." He brushes past Niki and Eret through the doorway, then stops, just for a moment. "And you might want to sit down for this."

~

"So," Eret repeats, voice still laced with concern and disbelief, "Wilbur wants to destroy it. All of it." 

It's not a question, but something in Eret's tone still suggests that he wants Tommy to answer 'no'. But all he can do is nod. 

"All of it," Eret murmurs again. Their fist tightens around the mug clenched in it. "That makes him no better than Schlatt."

Some part of Tommy still wants to jump to Wilbur's defense, say that, no, it's not like that, he's still got good intentions, he's not like Schlatt, not really, that this isn't the real Wilbur, they can break him out of this...

And yet...

The paranoia, the manipulation, the laughter, the fucking laughter...

He doesn't know Wilbur anymore. The realization still hurts.

"Tommy?" Niki's concerned voice breaks him out of his thoughts. When he looks up, both her and Eret are looking to him. Niki's expression is completely indecipherable, although her tone is still weak with uncertainty. "Who do we still have on our side?"

"Well, Tubbo, definitely, and..." The numb realization that he can't provide another answer settles in his mind. "Dream's supporting Wilbur, so is Techno, probably, unless he was never on our side in their first place. Jack's with Schlatt, so is Fundy," ~~Eret averts his gaze,~~ "Quackity is obviously still with Schlatt too... well." He can't help the chuckle that rips out of his throat. "We're pretty much fucked, aren't we?"

Eret and Niki share a concerned glance, and Niki's brow furrows. "Why do you say that, Tommy?"

He looks down again, finally allowing bitterness to seep into his voice. "What's the point, really? It's, what, four of us, against Schlatt, against Techno, against _Dream?_ What could we possibly do?" He scoffs. "Let's face it, L'Manberg's been fucked since the beginning."

And, there. He's said it. Some part of him has believed it since the start, he realizes. Ever since Schlatt won the election; ever since the election was announced at all; ever since Dream declared war; ever since Wilbur first approached him with a vision, and with hope. It was always going to end like this. No matter how many small victories they won, no matter how often he laughed off their chances of loss and stubbornly kept trudging on, it was always going to end like this.

"No matter who wins, it'll be Manberg or Pogtopia, but the thing we fought for, it's gonna be gone. If it's not by Dream's hands, and if it's not by Schlatt's, it'll be Wilbur's own. We're done."

There's a beat of silence. To Tommy, it feels final. 

"Don't say that." 

But it's Eret who breaks it.

"Out of all people, I wouldn't expect you to give up hope, Tommy."

Niki places a hand over Tommy's, still clenched on the table in front of him. "Remember everything we fought for, Tommy? We've all given up so much for this country. We can't let it all go to waste now." Her next words are laced with steel. "I won't let it."

"History should be preserved. What Schlatt's doing to this country, it's not right. It's not worthy of protection. I'll help you, Tommy, in any way I can." Eret brings his hand to Tommy's, but hesitates, a fraction of an inch away. "...if you'll have me."

Tommy only realizes there are tears in his eyes when he looks up and sees his vision blurred. 

Niki's kind smile is replaced with a look of determination, and there's a fire behind her gaze; somehow, he finds it more comforting. Eret's glasses lie, discarded, on the table; to his surprise, for the first time in months, Tommy believes every word out of their mouth is true.

They're only two people. But it's more than he could ever have hoped for. 

Wilbur thought they couldn't trust anyone anymore. Maybe he's right, in a way. Wilbur can't trust anyone anymore. 

But that's how they can win, Tommy realizes. And they _can_ win. It won't be easy, but maybe they still can. Schlatt may have an army by his side, Wilbur may have two of the server's most powerful players, but what neither of them will truly have -

"Tommy!" Footsteps echo through the bakery, and Tubbo bursts into the room. "There you are! I was looking for you! Is everything -"

His voice is cut off when Tommy stands and pulls him into a hug. 

Tubbo's frozen, for a moment. But then Tommy feels his arms wrap around him. 

"Thank you, Tubbo. We're going to win. We're going to get L'Manberg back, I promise."

It's always been them, in the end. The two of them against the world. 

"We will," Tubbo murmurs into his shoulder. 

But they're not alone anymore, are they? Not when Niki pulls them both into her embrace, not when Eret hesitantly wraps his arms around their shoulders. They're not alone. They have each other, the last true people of L'Manberg; they have family they know they can trust. And that's something Wilbur and Schlatt have given up, now.

Tommy blinks the tears out of his eyes. He was an idiot to ever give up hope. 

"Come on!" He breaks free from the group, rushing to the entrance of the cave. The sun is rising over the ocean, and he relishes in the dawn, the promise of a new day. 

Tommy turns to face his friends, feels the hilt of a blade drop into his hand, raises it to the sky. And grins. "Let's go fuck some shit up!"

Tubbo mirrors him with a triumphant cry. "For L'Manberg!"

"For L'Manberg!" Niki yells with fire in her voice, brandishing an axe to the sky.

"For L'Manberg!" Eret bellows, crown and netherite glittering in the rising sunlight.

Wilbur thought Tommy couldn't lead. Schlatt thought Tommy couldn't win. 

He's going to prove them all wrong.

"For L'Manberg!"

**Author's Note:**

> Some friends and I have made a Discord server for MCYT fanfiction writers, to share your writing and get feedback, brainstorm new AUs, and just have fun with other writers. We'd be happy to have you! [Here's the link :)](https://discord.gg/7XDH6NY)


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